A collaboration beer to benefit cancer research brewed by Terrapin and Schmaltz Brewing. Two versions of this beer brewed- this one by Terrapin, with gold foil over a Terrapin cap, and a Schmaltz Brewing version with silver foil.

Reviews by nhindian:

A - Pours a dark brown ala a fresh cup of coffee, with about a finger of light tan head. Decent retention and lacing.

S - The smell is sweet and full of rich vanilla overtones. The vanilla is actually the dominant factor in the nose, but there is a good amount of chocolate as well. Fairly malty, and not getting much of the chili pepper here.

T - Before the beer even gets a chance to really settle after my first sip, the heat makes its presence known. It is a slow heat at first, but as I continue to drink, it continuously builds. It finally reaches a point where it settles in nicely, but still a bit too hot for my liking and overshadows the cocoa and vanilla a bit. Speaking of those, they are in here in droves here as well, but seem to appear inversely with the chili. Again, the vanilla is the main component, but the others help as well.

M - Mouthfeel is medium-bodied with okay carbonation. A little dry in the finish. The most noteworthy thing here is the amount of chili heat that lingers well into the finish.

D/O - Drinkability is moderate. I had a love/hate relationship with this beer that shifted continuously. I liked it at first, but then the peppers start to take over. Then, they reach their peak and hold constant, which the palate acclimates to, but then they still last forever in the finish. Definitely a sipper and keep some milk nearby.

More User Reviews:

I gotta say I liked this years Reunion beer better than last years from Terrapin.Poured into an imperial nonic a deep roasted chesnut brown with a thiiner lacy tannish colored head atop.Vanilla/caramel aromas,light nuttiness,and some molasses in the nose,quite rich.Caramel toffee and vanilla flavors at the onset,mild chocolate comes into play melding inot quite a hefty shot of chili in the finish,it can catch you a little off guard.Everything in the beer comes into play wich is great,very easy to drink as well.A real winner here.

Black in the glass with mahogany edges through light. Nice solid 1 finger khaki head with nice retention and spotty lacing.

Nose for me starts a little leathery. Then like a dark dopplebock with that dark euro malt. Mild dark chocolate, bitter fruit and vanilla.

Flavor is similar but a little brighter and more depth. Still dark euro-like malt flavor. Decent range of flavor. Balance isnt the best. Notes of nuttiness, bitter chocolate and mild vanilla and chili as the beer warms.

Medium-full bodied with medium carbonation.

Overall it's a pretty good brown ale. Its works for me but I could see how others might think the flavors aren't working together well together.

Reunion Ale '11 joins Terrapin with Shmaltz, and it's the "brown" and "Shmaltz" parts of the equation I'm most excited about, as they do unique browns very well all by themselves. (This is the gold foil Terrapin bottling.)

Pours as advertised: brown brown brown, with a dirty white head that sits on top like puffed brown rice, thin but long lasting and leaving tiny strings of lace on the glass.

Aroma isn't exactly neutral, just a little less busy/complex than expected, considering this was brewed with cocoa nibs, vanilla and chili peppers. It's the peppers I smell most of those three, mingling with lightly mineral and largely nutty, sweet malty aromas.

Wow. There are two things happening here that I have never tasted mingled together so nicely, whether in a beer, a dessert, or elsewhere. Big fluffy vanilla flavors merge seamlessly with the chili peppers, and while I get the cocoa flavor way back, along with the nutty malt base you expect in a brown ale of any size, it's really the vanilla/pepper mixture that rocks my world. Overall there's a very s'mores-ish type thing happening here. The smooth, creamy, rounded texture helps. The chili pepper lingers longest into the finish, and while it might be too much for some people, it's just right for me, and it's thankfully not the only thing going on here. The bed of chocolate/cocoa/nut/vanilla adds some depth.

This beer was based on a dessert, according to the label, and I wonder if that dessert was as aggressive with the heat as this one is. I'm sure it was just as delicious, if not more so. As long as you like chili pepper in your beer, and if only used tastefully, as it is here, how can you not like this?

Nose is inviting. Cocoa, but mellowed in a way I can't put words to. Like fine tobacco-- does that even make sense? Trace of licorice, that might be it. Really nice.

Taste is fantastic-- sweetness is balanced by spice rather than bitterness or hops. Huge wave of cocoa accompanied by a healthy anise kick and a potent chili aftertaste. Unexpectedly, some marshmallow. Spicier than, say, Mole Ocho, and impressively good.

Pours a very dark brown color with a tan colored milky head. Light only comes though around the edges. The smell is a little subdued. I can smell milk chocolate and vanilla but i thought that the chilis would add some smokiness to the smell that I am not getting. The taste is very smooth and rich. Initially you get the chocolate and vanilla flavor that make it taste almost like a milk stout. As it warms the chili becomes more apparent and add a slight tingle on the tongue and contribute slightly to a smokey flavor. This is a pretty good beer that I am glad I picked up. Terrapin is one of my favorite breweries and they do not disappoint here.

A: Cola pour is dark burgundy when backlighted. A healthy, rocky bronze-tan tinted head sits well atop with a stubborn rate of retention. The head is thick with a whipped cream structure that comes along with a glass defying cling of lace. Dense showering of micro-beads rise to the occassion along the inner vessel walls.

T: Rich brown ale malt defines the flavor, sweet cocoa, roasty coffee beans with a burnt sugar sweetness from the grains arrives upfront. Vanilla creamer highlights with a smooth fresh coffee flavor. Soft chilli heat brings up the rear with just the right amount of balance and warmth, not overvly done and played out so many other examples, but spicy, complimentary with just the right amount of ending flair without having to grab for a glass of chaser water.

M: Creamy mouthful, nice consistency with a bit of chilli heat on the tongue providing a gentle spicy warmth.

O: Overall a nicely crafted beer, balanced very well with cocoa and chilli each complimenting each other with highlights that don't drown each other out or is obnoxious like other examples. Not a marketing gimmick but one that truely focuses on a beers flavor and a good example and cause to utilize chilli peppers in more examples. Balanced just right.

Appearance. Pours a clear, deep brown with some red. Over a finger of thick, foamy light tan head.

Smell. Sweet chocolate, vanilla and a little roasty coffee.

Taste. Chocolate, roasty malts, sweet caramel and molasses with a little vanilla. Someone else mentioned a tootsie roll and I would have to agree. A little spicy pepper comes through after a few sips. Nice.

Pours cola-brown with a fluffy khaki head that settles to a soapy haze. Malty aromas of brown sugar, caramel malt, cocoa, and vanilla. Sweet. Taste is similarly sweet, definitely getting more of the cocoa nibs and vanilla beans along with a fairly standard Brown Ale malt backbone. Not getting much cayenne flavors necessarily, but definitely getting a warming sensation in the back of my tongue and throat that's fairly pleasant. Mouthfeel is smooth and moderately creamy, with a medium body and ample carbonation. A neat beer overall, looking forward to trying the tweaked 2012 version now!